14 tracks from Planet Mu

Deep urban grooves and bass-y IDM pervade this compilation of current music from UK-based Planet Mu. The label's debut release of 2011 could be likened to a rich tapestry of beats calmly woven with muted downtempo shades of drum & bass and dubstep. A gently illuminating vocal sample aligns beauty with intelligent drum & bass, lighting up first song "Solar" by Oriol. Ireland's Solar Bears guide the record softly and cinematically with the exclusive "To Be With Her." Floating Points continue down this street, adding soulful vocals and percussive brilliance with "K&G Beat." "Give It Up" by Tropics incorporates interesting sounds, but fails to create exciting energy or a clear progression, while the Internal Tulips offer low-key digital pop lullaby "Parasol." With "Starfox," Kuedo ups the energy, winding us through spaced-out dubstep imaginings before "Topaz" by Ceephax Acid Crew brings it home with bumpin' analogue synths that would sit comfortably as the new theme song for Fashion Television (after "Obsession" by Animotion). Fans of experimental beats with bass won't regret picking up this solid collection.